Unfortunately, this year, Reichert has followed the party line and opposed both financial reform legislation to clean up Wall Street, and the small business aid package that was Congress' one achievement of the fall.

Reichert is vague and unfocused in talking about issues on which a member of the Ways and Means Committee should be well versed. He has not been highly visible during the fall campaign, nor made House Republican leaders available to talk about policies they would follow should the GOP win a majority in November.

Seattlepi.com has looked at the alternative in the 8th District, Democrat Suzan DelBene, and found an impressive political newcomer. DelBene was formerly corporate vice president of the mobile communications business at Microsoft. She holds an MBA from the University of Washington and has done public service work with Global Partnerships.

DelBene is running a highly negative TV campaign against Reichert. On the campaign trail, however, she delivers sharp opinions on issues vital to the Northwest's -- and nation's -- future. She is versed on such complicated stuff as intellectual property theft and the need to modernize America's patent system.

DelBene seems to understand such matters as the need to have government support basic research, and the role of community colleges in retraining adults: The average American adult changes jobs seven times in a lifetime. She recognizes the need for high-speed rail service in the Vancouver, B.C.-Seattle-Portland-Eugene corridor.

She's a smart candidate, with the ability to ably represent a technology-export driven House district, and to quickly become a player in Congress. The House needs members with executive-level experience, and usually puts them to productive work.

Reichert does deserve kudos as one of eight House Republicans to vote for energy/climate legislation, and for working with Sen. Patty Murray to add land to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and protect the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River.

He has, however, drawn a more substantial challenger than 2006-08 candidate Darcy Burner. We are disappointed that Reichert's campaign has dodged one-on-one debates at which voters could evaluate the congressman and his challenger.

It's a choice between the greater of goods, regardless of nastiness on your TV screen, and scurrilous rumor-spreading by a liberal blogger who believes in personal attack as a political tool.

Seattlepi.com believes that Suzan DelBene would quickly gain influence in Congress and bring needed skills to the job.